STONEHENGE

Stones Cast Serious Doubt over
Archeological 'Sequence of Construction'

By Dean Talboys
   

For over 50 years archeological experts have perpetuated the idea of a phased construction at Stonehenge over a period of 1,000 years based on evidence recovered from excavation in the first half of the 20th century.

 

Incredible as it may be the Sarsen Circle and Trilithons, which together comprise a total of seventy-five stones, have been radiocarbon-dated on only two samples of bone found in the excavated foundations. The Sarsen Trilithons at the center of the site are believed to have been erected 2440-2100BC, some 400 years after the Sarsen Circle that surrounds them. This totally illogical sequence of events is corroborated by Professor R. J. C. Atkinson's interpretation of excavations that uncovered ramps angled towards the outer faces of many stones in the Sarsen Circle and the decayed remains of wooden posts below ground on the inner faces of their foundations.

In 1923 engineer Mr. E. H. Stone suggested the stones were moved into position from outside the Sarsen Circle and then pulled upright from within the circle. The wooden posts (or so-called 'anti-friction' stakes) were considered necessary to prevent the pointed base of the stone from damaging the rear of the hole as it slid in. It is this method which has found favor with archeologists and influenced the perceived sequence of construction at the site, but it suffers from several mechanical drawbacks.
  1. The depth of the hole has to be calculated for the desired height of the stone above ground (essential in leveling the ring of lintel stones on top).
  2. The point where the stone overbalances as it falls into the ramp is a matter of trial and error.
  3. The fall into the hole is uncontrolled.
  4. The entire weight of the stone must be overcome in raising it erect.
  5. Once erect the stone remains unstable as it rests on a roughly pointed base.

 
Run Animation

This aside from the fact that the hundreds of people required to move and erect a stone in this manner need to negotiate other stones already erected on the opposite side of the circle. This particular problem becomes almost impossible without the use of a crane to position the massive Trilithons with the entire Sarsen Circle in place (it was difficult enough during restoration of the site with more than half the Sarsen Circle missing).
 

Every attempt to recreate 'Neolithic' techniques for moving and erecting stones uses conveniently flat precast slabs of concrete.
 

Nowhere is this better illustrated than on W. T. 'Wally' Wallington's web site The Forgotten Technology. In reality only one face and the sides of each pillar in the Sarsen Circle and Trilithons have been worked flat. As you can see from the photo it is the inner face of each pillar in the Sarsen Circle that is smooth - the outer face remains in its natural state.

Q. If Stonehenge was a temple, wouldn't we expect to find both faces worked smooth or at least the good face to be placed on the outside for all to see?

A. The flat face makes possible transportation and positioning of the stones prior to their erection. You simply could not move stones placed on the unfinished face let alone perform the movement demonstrated by Wally.
   

If the Sarsen pillars had been positioned and erected according to E. H. Stone's method the flat face would be on the outside of the circle!
 

The stones must have been raised from the inside out. To achieve this the stones would be placed inside the perimeter of the circle prior to excavating the holes. Each stone is then moved into place and a timber fulcrum (or cradle) attached which will allow the stone to be swung upright. The ramp, which allows excess rock to be removed, is essential to clear the base of the stone as it swings into position. The wooden posts prevent the vertical face at the rear of the hole from collapsing under the pressure of the fulcrum. The method is mechanically superior to Stone's in every respect.
  1. The height above ground can be predetermined as the distance from the fulcrum.
  2. The stone is raised, and can be lowered again, under controlled conditions.
  3. The weight to be lifted is offset by the weight of stone on the opposite side of the fulcrum (this is especially relevant when you consider how the stones were bottom heavy due to deliberate tapering towards the top).
  4. Once erect the timber cradle allows for final alignment to the circumference of the circle.
  Run Animation

Apart from requiring fewer people, the fact that they are pulled erect from outside the circle using this method would allow multiple stones to be erected at the same time. It would not only result in the flat face of each pillar facing the inside of the circle but also supports the logical conclusion that the Trilithons were erected first and then the Sarsen Circle.
 

It would not be the first time an important aspect in the design of Stonehenge has been overlooked in an attempt to place the site firmly within the
British Neolithic period.
 

Read what Ronald Hutton, Professor of History at the University of Bristol, had to say about Stonehenge in a recent article in the Times Literary Supplement:
  • Stonehenge simply looks like nothing else: no other ancient structure in Europe has its trademark form
  • It is very rare to find a prehistoric monument in Britain made of large stones that were obtained from more than five miles away
  • Such an enterprise is unique in the British prehistoric record, and may be in Europe
  • Unlike the hundreds of other stone circles of Neolithic Britain, Stonehenge was constructed as a series of screens

These are only four examples of why Stonehenge is utterly unique and yet Hutton claims "Since 1900, archaeology has made one considerable contribution to an understanding of Stonehenge: to establish firmly that it was a creation of the late Neolithic". Amazing!
 

If you would like to know more about the shocking truth behind the worlds oldest man made monument visit

http://www.stonehengeobservatory.com
 

Dean Talboys is a consultant systems analyst. His book, The Stonehenge Observatory, is available for immediate download in PDF format from the web site.

238 Pages
27 Photographs
59 Illustrations
Fully indexed and cross-referenced

$8.99